Lipomas

Lipomas are fat capsules located underneath the skin. They are usually harmless and common. Lipomas look like round lumps. They may be small or grow to over an inch. They most frequently occur on the arms and trunk. Lipomas do not need to be removed unless they are in a bothersome location.

Your skin covers your body and protects it from the environment. Your skin is composed of three major layers, the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis is the outermost layer of your skin. It protects your inner skin layers.

The dermis is your second layer of skin. It is made up of connective tissue and provides structure. The dermis contains hair cells, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands that secrete oils to hydrate the skin.

Lipomas appear as round lumps underneath the skin. They may be small or grow to over an inch. Lipomas feel soft. They are generally moveable. Lipomas most frequently occur on the trunk, arms, armpits, neck, and upper thighs, but they may appear anywhere. You may have more than one lipoma.

Your doctor can diagnose a lipoma by looking at it and feeling it. In rare instances, a biopsy may be taken to rule out cancer if the lump appears suspicious. Lipomas generally do not lead to cancer, but some cancers may look similar to some lipomas. A biopsy involves removing a piece of tissue for examination.

Lipomas are generally harmless and do not need to be removed. They may be removed if their appearance is bothersome or if they interfere with the movement of a joint. Lipomas may be removed with a simple surgery or by liposuction.

This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.

The iHealthSpot patient education library was written collaboratively by the iHealthSpot editorial team which includes Senior Medical Authors Dr. Mary Car-Blanchard, OTD/OTR/L and Valerie K. Clark, and the following editorial advisors: Steve Meadows, MD, Ernie F. Soto, DDS, Ronald J. Glatzer, MD, Jonathan Rosenberg, MD, Christopher M. Nolte, MD, David Applebaum, MD, Jonathan M. Tarrash, MD, and Paula Soto, RN/BSN. This content complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. The library commenced development on September 1, 2005 with the latest update/addition on April 13th, 2016. For information on iHealthSpot’s other services including medical website design, visit www.iHealthSpot.com.